File

ABSTRACT

A file comprising at least one cover and at least one, preferably at least two spaced lugs whose ends are held at or near the spine of the file. Such lug or lugs extend between the file rear cover and a tab, which extends also from the spine only for part of the breadth of the file. These lugs are arranged perpendicular in relation to the file cover and are adapted to have their free ends inserted through holes provided in the tab after papers to be accommodated in the file and provided with holes have been placed on the lugs.

0 United States Patent 1 1 1 1 3,791,747 Grundell 1 1 Feb. 12, 1974 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1 1 lnvenlori Carl Erik Grundell, Osmogawn 8, 1,319,944 1 1963 France 402/15 8- 2 48 E Sweden 1,200,254 9 1965 Germany 402/8 1,242,184 6/1967 Germany 402/8 [221 Mm 1970 1,160,023 7/1969 Great 13111616.. 402/73 [21] Appl.No.: 86,913 6,700,381 7/1967 Netherlands 402/4 3l8,252 [2/1969 Sweden 402/4 [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Primary ExaminerRobert W. Michell Nov. 10, 1969 Germany 6943636 Attorney, Agent, or FirmWerner W. Kleeman [52] US. Cl. 402/8 57 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl B42f 3/00 A file com prising at least one cover and at least one, [58] held of 402/4 preferably at least two spaced lugs whose ends are I held at or near the spine of the file. Such lug or lugs 5 R f extend between the file rear cover and a tab, which 6] e erences extends also from the spine only for part of the UNITED STATES PATENTS breadth of the file. These lugs are arranged perpendic- 2,139,843 12/1938 Moore 402/8 ular in relation to the file cover and are adapted to 2, 1.368 1 94 DOW l-- 81/ 9 UX have their free ends inserted through holes provided in 2,559,556 7/195l Ambler a 402/l8 X the tab after papers to be accommodated in the file 3,298,374 l/l967 Grundell 402/4 UX and provided with holes have been placed on the lugs 3,612,708 10/197] Grundellmr 402/8 3,092,400 6/1963 Smith 281/19 R 9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures FILE The present invention relates to files, folders or the like for holding papers and documents, and more particularly to such a file comprising at least one cover and at least one, or preferably at least two, spaced lugs whose ends are held at or near the spine of the file, which extend between the file rear cover and a tab, which extends also from the spine only for part of the breadth of the file, the lugs being arranged perpendicularly in relation to the file cover and being adapted to have their free ends inserted through holes provided in the tab after papers to be accommodated in the file and provided with holes have been placed on the lugs.

In the case of a previously proposed file of this type the tab is arranged between the covers of the file and fixed at a position adjacent to the file spine between the file covers. Furthermore the two lugs present are fixed between the file covers at a position adjacent to the file spine. Such a file has a function generally similar to that of a rapid binder. Therefore it has only one provision for the holding of papers, that is to say fixation by means of the lugs. Furthermore its appearance leaves to be desired from the aesthetic point of view. In addition such previously proposed files are difficult to produce.

One aim of the present invention is to provide a development of the file or folder of the type mentioned above so that it can be used as a working or office file and in accordance with a further development can be used as a conference file or folder which is of neat appearance and has a large number of applications The present invention consists in a file comprising at least one cover and at least one, or preferably at least two, spaced lugs whose ends are held at or near the spine of the file, which extend between the file rear cover and a tab, which extends also from the spine only for part of the breadth of the file, the lugs being arranged perpendicularly in relation to the file cover and being adapted to have their free ends inserted through holes provided inthe tab after papers to be accommodated in the file and provided with holes have been placed on the lugs, a narrow fold strip being formed on the front side of the file starting from the file rear cover so as to be parallel to it, the fold strip being folded along a fold line parallel to the spine, in an inward direction towards the file rear cover. The file in accordance with the invention can thus be produced from a single file blank, which is cut from flat paper or cardboard sheets. On cutting the blank the fold lines can at the same time be produced. The file blanks can be transported in the form of stacks so asto save space and after transport can be made into the finished files without any difficulty. The finished file has a pleasing neat appearance since the attachment ends of the lugs serving for holding the papers to be held in the file have their heads, which are broadened out, hidden when the file is looked at from the front.

In accordance with the further feature of the invention it is possible to provide an extension sheet which extends from the file spine so as to form a continuation over the rear file cover which it lies on and at its edge which comes to lie adjacent to the file spine is provided with holes for receiving the lugs, this extension sheet forming a pocket on the rear file cover. The extension sheet can be made in one piece with the rest of the file blank when the latter is cut out. Accordingly production transport and assembly of the file are still uncomplicated. Moreover, on the file rear cover a pocket is provided into which papers can be inserted when the papers are not suitable for binding or would be substantially reduced in value by the provision of the necessary perforations (for example folded street maps or photographs). The pocket on the rear file cover is completed by a folded projection arranged on the bottom part of the rear file cover and this folded extension is folded over the extension sheet in the file so as to close the pocket at the bottom. The folded sheet can be held securely in position in a neat manner by providing an extension on it at a position adjacent to the file spine in order to fit around the inwardly folded part of the fold strip between the lugs.

Finally in accordance with a further possible feature of the invention a pocket of plastics material can be used as a front file cover. The free ends of the lugs can be inserted from the rear into this front cover and the lugs may possibly be covered in the pocket of plastics material by sheets of material inserted into the pocket.

A file with these features can be used for a large number of different purposes including conferences and for desk work. The file has a pocket for holding papers so that they can be readily seen and there is a possibility for binding papers. On the rear cover of the file there is a pocket. When the file is assembled all functional parts are covered in a pleasing fashion. The file with its large number of possible applications is, however, capable of being produced in a simple manner from a single paper or cardboard blank. The file blanks can be stacked in a compact manner for transport and after transport can be easily made into complete files.

Further details, advantages and features of the invention will be gathered from the following description. The accompanying drawing shows the invention by way of example.

FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of a file in accordance with the invention in the opened condition.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of the holding of the T- shaped file spine in a plastic rail.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section through the hole file from which the individual parts and their arrangement can be seen.

FIG. I shows the assembled file in the open condition. It comprises cardboard portions, which can be unfolded as a flat file blank. In the folded condition these cardboard portions comprise a file rear cover 1, whose one side adjoins the file spine 2 which is folded so as to have a T-shape defined by a back portion and front and rear side portions.

FIG. 2 shows that this T-shaped file spine 2 can be held by a rail 3.preferably made of plastics material. Internally this rail has a cavity and a slot opening at one side in order to fit round the spine. The cardboard portions of the file extend out of the rail through the slot as is shown in FIG. 2.

As can be seen in FIG. 3 the cardboard portions of the rear file cover 1 are extended beyond the file spine 2 by a fold strip 4 which on the front side of the file runs in a direction parallel to the file rear cover. This fold strip is also folded over along a fold line parallel to the rear file cover towards the interior of the file. The folded over part 5 of the fold strip 4 has holes for the passage of binding lugs or strips 6 which at their ends lying between the two parts of the fold strip are broadened out, for example in a rectangular fashion, so that they are held securely by the fold strip 4.

The rear file cover runs from the T-shaped file spine 2 as far as the strip 7, from which there runs an adjoining extension sheet 9 which cooperates withthe rear file cover 1 to form a pocket 8. In order to facilitate the insertion of papers, the extension sheet 9 is cut obliquely along its top part. The extension sheet 9 has embossed folding lines on its edge portion adjacent to the file spine 2 and is provided with an extension 10, which fits under the folded inward part of the fold strip 4 and at the end lying adjacent to the rear file cover is folded inwards around the folded part5 of the fold strip 4 between the two parts of the fold strip. This feature ensures that the pocket is always held firmly and is held closed. The bottom of the pocket is formed by a folded extension 11, made in one piece with the file rear cover, which fits over the extension sheet 9 and is pressed against the extension sheet 9 by papers bound in the file under a plastics material pocket 12, which serves as a front cover for the file.

The pocket 12 of plastics material has its inner end inserted between the inwardly folded part 5 of the fold strip 4 and a binding tab 13. Both the binding tab 13 and the inner end of the pocket 12 have holes which are aligned with the holes in the inwardly folded part 5 of the fold strip 4 and have the binding lugs 6 passed through them, which then pass through holes in the folded part of the extension sheet 9 and are to be bent towards the front file cover. In this respect they are folded once again through holes 14 provided on the free end of the binding tab and finally introduced through holes in the pocket 12 of plastics material. In the pocket 12 of plastics material, which forms the front cover of the conference folder, two sheets 15 and 16 of the same material are placed as is used for making the file. The innermost of these sheets has perforations, which are aligned with openings in the rear wall of the pocket of plastics material, and with the binding holes 14 of the tabs. In this manner the free ends of the binding lugs 6 in the pocket 12 of plastics material come to lie between the sheets 15 and 16 and are therefore neatly covered and securely held.

The binding tab 13 has a number of embossed fold lines on it which enable it to accommodate various thicknesses of sheets of paper contained therein, as well as to facilitate opening of the front cover.

The assembly of the conference file from a blank is carried out as follows: firstly the file blank is folded along the prepared fold lines. Then the binding lugs 6 are pushed through the holes of the inwardly folded part 5 of the fold strip 4 in such a manner that their broadened out ends or heads come to lie between the two parts of the fold strip. Following this the pocket 12 of folded material is placed over the lugs. Next the binding tab 13 is placed on the lugs and then the free ends of the lugs 6 are drawn through the hole in the extension sheet 9, which forms the pocket on the rear file cover, and the extension of this extension sheet is fitted behind the inwardly folded part 5 of the fold strip 4.

Following this the papers to be bound in the file have the free ends of the lugs drawn through them, which are subsequently drawn through the holes 14 in the binding tab 13 and the aligned holes in the rear wall of the pocket 12 of plastics material. The lugs are then passed through the holes in the rear part of the sheet 15 placed in the pocket so thatthe lugs are introduced into the pocket of plastics material. Finally papers can be placed in the pocket 12 of plastics material which forms the front cover of the file. Papers can also be inserted into the pocket on the rear cover of the file. if a particularly permanent fixation of the whole assembly is considered to be appropriate, a rail 3 of plastics ma-. terial is inserted over the T-shaped file spine 2. This rail serves for holding the file in a suspended filing system and can be made coloured in order to be able to recognise it more readily.

What I claim is:

1. A file for printed materials comprising a front cover, a rear cover and a spine, said spine having a back portion, a rear side portion having a rear cover extending therefrom and a front side portion including a narrow fold strip having a portion thereof folded inwardly and rearwardly towards said back portion, said front, cover secured to and extending from said fold strip, at least two spaced binding strips each having one end secured to said fold strip and the other end free to receive said printed material, a tab extending outwardly from said inwardly folded portion of said fold strip for at least a portion of the width of said file for binding printed materials retained therein, an overlying inner sheet joined to said rear cover along the free edge thereof parallel to said spine, said inner sheet being provided with openings for receiving said binding strips, said inner sheet including a fold-over portion at the edge in the region of said spine which is folded outwardly toward the front cover and adapted to fit about said inwardly folded portion of said fold strip, and means in said front cover for retaining the free ends 0 said strips.

2. The file as defined in claim 1 wherein the inwardly folded part of the fold strip includes holes for receiving the binding strips.

3. The file as defined in claim 2 wherein the tab includes holes which are aligned with the holes in the inwardly folded part of the fold strip.

4. The file as defined in claim 1 wherein the tab is a separate component of the file.

5. The file as defined in claim 1 wherein the file rear cover further includes'an extension along the bottom edge and folded inwardlyinto the file.

6. The file as defined in claim 1 wherein the file front cover includes a pocket of a plastic material.

7. The file as defined in claim 6 wherein said retaining means includes holes in the inner'surface of said plastic pocket for receiving the free ends of the binding strips.

8. The file as defined in claim 7 wherein the plastic pocket includes a pair of sandwiching sheets for receiving the free ends of the binding strips one of said sandwiching sheets having holes, the other of said sandwiching sheets being used as a covering member.

9. The file as defined in claim 1 wherein the spine is substantially T-shaped for receiving a similarly shaped rail member formed of plastic.' 

1. A file for printed materials comprising a front cover, a rear cover and a spine, said spine having a back portion, a rear side portion having a rear cover extending therefrom and a front side portion including a narrow fold strip having a portion thereof folded inwardly and rearwardly towards said back portion, said front cover secured to and extending from said fold strip, at least two spaced binding strips each having one end secured to said fold strip and the other end free to receive said printed material, a tab extending outwardly from said inwardly folded portion of said fold strip for at least a portion of the width of said file for binding printed materials retained therein, an overlying inner sheet joined to said rear cover along the free edge thereof parallel to said spine, said inner sheet being provided with openings for receiving said binding strips, said inner sheet including a fold-over portion at the edge in the region of said spine which is folded outwardly toward the front cover and adapted to fit about said inwardly folded portion of said fold strip, and means in said front cover for retaining the free ends of said strips.
 2. The file as defined in claim 1 wherein the inwardly folded part of the fold strip includes holes for receiving the binding strips.
 3. The file as defined in claim 2 wherein the tab includes holes which are aligned with the holes in the inwardly folded part of the fold strip.
 4. The file as defined in claim 1 wherein the tab is a separate component of the file.
 5. The file as defined in claim 1 wherein the file rear cover further includes an extension along the bottom edge and folded inwardly into the file.
 6. The file as defined in claim 1 wherein the file front cover includes a pocket of a plastic material.
 7. The file as defined in claim 6 wherein said retaining means includes holes in the inner surface of said plastic pocket for receiving the free ends of the binding strips.
 8. The file as defined in claim 7 wherein the plastic pocket includes a pair of sandwiching sheets for receiving the free ends of the binding strips one of said sandwiching sheets having holes, the other of said sandwiching sheets being used as a covering member.
 9. The file as defined in claim 1 wherein the spine is substantially T-shaped for receiving a similarly shaped rail member formed of plastic. 